Copyright is owned by the Author of the thesis. Permission is given for a copy to be downloaded by an individual for the purpose of research and private study only. The thesis may not be reproduced elsewhere without the permission of the Author. Mapping the Environmental Footprint of the Central Plains Water Irrigation Scheme A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the Masters of Design Mapping the Environmental Footprint of the Central Plains Water Irrigation Scheme at the Institute of Communication Design Massey University, Wellington, NZ. Dean Ivamy 2009 Acknowledgements This thesis is greatly indebted to the following people who individually have assisted throughout this year of study. Firstly, my partner Katie Wood for all her time, love and attention. My parents David and Jill, for always providing an interested listening ear, the drive, motivation, and financial support to get me through. Academic support and advice from Donald Preston, Jacquie Naismith, Patricia Thomas, Tulia Moss, Annette O’Sullivan, and Kate Gilliam. For the assistance of data collection and statistical information, Anna Thorburn (MAF), Christine Dean (Statistics New Zealand), Kevin Hackwell (Forest & Bird), all the Councils, Government agencies, and the environmental and dairy industry groups who so openly provided information and knowledge. Steffen Kreft, Tania Marriott, and Rachael Linton (my fellow masters students) for sharing in this year of discovery. Technical support and problem solving from John Clemens, Stuart Foster, Julian Allom, and Nicola and Simon George. Thank you all. A final decision on the proposed Central Plains Water (CPW) scheme needs to be left to the consent-granting authorities, according to Christchurch City Mayor Bob Parker. The basis for this position is that the issues raised by the proposed irrigation scheme are simply too complex for members of the public to grasp. (The Press, September 10, 2007). Abstract In the statement Mayor Parker is referring to a complexity of issues that involves a plethora of hard- scientific and statistical information. The diversity of opinions regarding the scheme’s benefits and potential negative implications also create misunderstanding for the general public. This prompts the hypothesis of this design thesis, which suggests that statistical data when visually mapped and in the context of its physical environment can provide significant cognitive and ecological awareness for the viewer to understand the economic and environmental implications of the proposed irrigation scheme. Both the areas of cartographic mapping and the dairy industry contain controlled vocabularies, which present opportunity for graphic modeling and explanation through visible phenomena. The Canterbury Plains has a well-established historical and agricultural narrative. However, due to the recent dramatic and substantial transition of the region’s dairy industry between the periods 1995 – 2008, subsequent demand for freshwater now represents the real prospect of uncharted future environmental instability. The development of a visual language system capable of the interpretation and construction of the irrigation scheme’s benefits and potential negative implications, provide this thesis through graphic modeling the possibility to compare the proposed CPW scheme’s issues. While some industry groups consider public participation as arbitrary and unnecessary, recent surveys indicate water quality and fertiliser management as the most significant areas for environmental concern. The debate should not exclude the public, but rather include communication systems capable of reaching all communities. Contents Page 1.1.1 Introduction 6 1.1 Introduction 1.1.2 Discussion of Context 7 1.1.3 Central Proposition 8 2.1.1 The Impact of Irrigation on the Canterbury Plains 10 2.1.2 New Zealand’s Dairy Farming Landscape 12 2.1 Environment 2.1.3 Self-Regulation and Clean Streams 13 2.1.4 The Battle of Rural-Urban 14 2.2.1 Political Power Structure 17 2.2.2 In Search of Scientific Truth 18 2.0 Research and Theory. 2.2 Cartography 2.2.3 Deconstructing Rhetorical Mapping Devices 19 2.2.4 Mapmaker as Creator rather than Reflector for Counter-culture Agendas 21 2.2.5 Dynamic Mapping of Information, Environmental Causation and Place 22 2.3.1 The role of Context in Cognition 25 2.3 Information Design 2.3.2 No Symbol Explains itself more than … 27 2.3.3 Environmental Causation and Data Presentation. 28 3.1.1 Historical Analysis and the Chronological Display of Keywords 31 Statistical Data 3.1.2 Settlement and Destruction of the Native Forests 31 3.1 Collection, Selection, 3.1.3 Industry Transition through Statistical Data Collection 32 and Presentation 3.1.4 The Diagrammatic Display of the Cow 32 3.0 Methods and Processes. Cartographic Visual 3.2.1 Contextual Background and Isometric Perspective 32 3.2 Presentation and 3.2.2 Navigational Interaction and the Framing of the Canterbury Plains 34 Landscape Design 3.2.3 Scientific Evidence and The Valuative Judgment 34 3.3.1 Icon Design and the Canterbury Dairy Farm Model 36 3.3 Information Display 3.3.2 Icon Modifiers and Extensions to the Visual Narrative 38 and Visual Argument 3.3.3 Map Comparisons and the Visible Transition of the Dairy Industry Over Time 39 4.1.1 Conclusion 40 4.0 Conclusion 4.1.2 Appendix 42 5.1.1 Bibliography 43 Images 1: Canterbury plains, Allen J Kynaston. 2: Central Plains Water irrigation scheme, http://www.selwyn.govt.nz/cpw/cpw-map.jpg. 3: Livestock fertiliser diagram (2008). 4: Canterbury plains from space, Phillips, R. (2003). New Zealand from space. 2. Auckland, NZ: Penguin Books. 5: Ruth Watson, Another Map of the World, 1989. 6: The Historical Development of the British Empire, Imperial acquisitions, 1915, Catalogue reference: CO 1047/1098. 7: Van Sant GeoSphere, A Clear Day, 1990. 8: Pictographic narrative of Aztecs leaving their homeland in year Flint 1. Codex Boturini Drucker, J., & McGann, J. (2001). Images as the text: Pictograms and pictographic rhetoric. 9: Dr Snow Snow, The Cholera Epidemic, London, 1854. 10: Charles Joseph Minard, Figurative Map of the successive losses in men of the French Army in the Russian Campaign 1812–13. 11: Mike Zender, Interactive information design – Alzheimer’s display, 2007. 12: Helen Mayor and Newton Harrison, And the Waters Will Rise Gracefully, (From the Book of the Lagoons), 1981, oil, graphic, photography, 51 x 122cm. 13: Canterbury’s agricultural history (2008) 14: Dairy cow cyclic graph (concept) (2008) 15: Albrecht Altdorfer, The Battle of Issus, 1528-29 16: Canterbury plains from space, Phillips, R. (2003). New Zealand from space. 2. Auckland, NZ: Penguin Books. 17: Reed New Zealand World Atlas (2004), Auckland, NZ: Reed: Terralink International, [3rd] ed 18: Orthophotos, L37 - Ashburton (1998/99). New Zealand Map Grid (NZMG) Crown Copyright Reserved 19: Canterbury plains aerial photo, Bradley, B. (2000). New Zealand from space. Auckland, NZ: Penguin Books. 20: Rakaia River (section) (2008) 21: Lake Ellesmere with dairy pasture (section) (2008) 22: Christchurch (Western Suburbs) (2008) 23: Richard Misrach, Atomic Bomb Loading Pit #2, 1989 24: Icon map of Canterbury agricultural history (section) (2008) 25: Icon map of Canterbury native forest fires (2008) 26: Dairy cow cyclic graph #1 (2008) 27: Dairy cow cyclic graph #2 (2008) 28: Native forest fire (Alford Forest) (2008) Images 29: Fertiliser and runoff (Rakaia River) (2008) 30: Dairy cow icons (2008) 31: Lake Ellesmere and Selwyn District (2008) 32: Selwyn District with dairy pasture and cows (2008) 1.0 Introduction. 5 1.1.1 Introduction Media coverage and the presentation of information to the general public regarding the Central Plains Water (CPW) scheme is divided and incomplete when considering the potential significance and long term consequences of the irrigation scheme’s proposal. The decision to exclude public participation is both unacceptable and unfortunately represents the reduced capacity for public engagement in future environmental planning (Memon, 2007). Under the existing legislation both the Environmental Court and elected local authorities are charged with the responsibility of resource management, and with the possible expectation should the irrigation scheme be granted approval in late April 2009, both public consultation and discussion will have been sorely missed. The scheme itself will be one of the largest construction projects ever undertaken in the South Island, consisting of 60,000ha of land between the Waimakariri and Rakaia Rivers on the Canterbury Plains. The proposal consists of water diversion, damming, reticulation, and irrigation in order to supply the dairy farmers with an increased guarantee for future irrigation requirements. The scheme is privately owned and backed by local and corporate farming interests and is supported by both the Christchurch and Selwyn District Councils. Benefits of the scheme are significantly weighted towards these interest groups, including a $650m annual addition to the Canterbury economy and estimated employment opportunities including 2,800 jobs (1,300 in agriculture and 1,500 in processing) (Cronshaw, 2005). Opposed to the scheme are a significant number of community, recreation, and environmental groups. Image 1: Canterbury plains. Exemplified by the response to the Canterbury Regional Council’s public notification of the resource consent application in June 2006 – when they received 1316 applications opposing the CPW scheme and 172 of support (ECan, 2006). This number reflects concern regarding potential environmental, recreational, and social threats that are expected should the irrigation scheme be granted consent. The construction of the storage dam and lake would displace local farmers, result in habitat loss for the endangered Canterbury Mudfish, and in the event of possible sudden dam failure take the lives of a predicted 201 people (URS, 2006). The CPW scheme environmentally will impact the ecology and natural characteristics of both the braided Waimakariri and Rakaia Rivers. The intensification of dairy livestock as a result of the guaranteed supply of water will cause increased nitrate contamination of the aquifers and rivers, and increased carbon emissions.